Lake George is Florida's second largest freshwater lake. Lake George is known as a perennial hot spot for a variety of fish species. Although most of the lake is 8-10 feet deep, shallow flats along the perimeter of the lake support healthy stands of submersed aquatic vegetation such as eelgrass, southern naiad, and hydrilla that may extend as far as 700 yards from the shoreline. The submersed vegetation provides excellent habitat for an abundance of game and non-game fish. The flats in the southwest part of the lake, near the mouth of Silver Glen Springs, are a well-known hotspot for largemouth bass in the springtime. Also in the springtime, sunshine bass can be caught along the jetties on the south end of the lake, where the St. John's River enters the lake.
Occasionally, anglers may have an exciting encounter with a striped bass while targeting sunshine bass in Lake George. Although the two species look similar, striped bass can tip the scale at over 30 pounds! In late spring through summer, Lake George has excellent fishing for bluegill and redear sunfish. Bluegill and redear spawn in colonies, and once an active colony is located, anglers can catch dozens of quality-sized fish in one outing. Lake George supports a good crappie population, but few anglers choose to target them in the lake. Anglers can find good numbers of white and channel catfish in the vast open waters of Lake George. Anglers would be well advised to always keep an eye on the weather. Windy weather associated with cold fronts and summertime thunderstorms can make for unsafe boating conditions, so stay safe for an enjoyable Lake George outing!
Public access to Lake George can be somewhat limited. Private boat ramps open to the public (fees may be required) are located at M-bar Marina and Pine Island Resort. A shallow draft public boat ramp is located on the south end of the lake, off Blue Creek Lodge Road. Many boaters choose to access the lake via the St. John's River public boat ramp in Astor, or a variety of private fish camps in Astor or Georgetown. For more site information please call our Northeast Region Office at 352-732-1225.
